London must take back control

Susan Hall: I refer to your 2018 press release entitled: "Sadiq Khan: Now Khan must take back control". As you pledged at MQT on 14/11/19 when answering Gareth Bacon MP's question no. 2019/20266, have you written to the Government since the general election, calling on them to deliver a new devolution settlement for London & England's other cities & regions? If so, have you received a response and if so, could you please share the details of the response?

The Mayor: Yes. Following the 2019 general election, I, along with my fellow Mayors, made representations to the Government on the need for greater devolution to our cities and regions. After the election in December 2019 I met with Chancellor Sajid Javid on 3 February 2020 and I also attended a meeting with the Chancellor and the M9 on that day to discuss devolution. The Government’s English Devolution White Paper, announced in the 2019 Queen’s Speech was subsequently delayed, but I continued to make the case for greater devolution, including in my Budget submissions to the Treasury (2020 and 2021) and most recently in my submission to the 2021 Spending Review, as well as in representations with the M9 to the Government. I continue to call on the Government to fulfil its promise for the proper devolution of power and resources from Whitehall to cities and communities across the UK, as this will be vital if we are to build back better as both a city and a country from the pandemic.